


Sing, Swing, Stay Alive

by MysticRenegade



Category: FNAF Mythology AU, Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Modern Era, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26458393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticRenegade/pseuds/MysticRenegade
Summary: Three things to follow from now on: Sing, keep the past in the past, and don't die. Alexa is finding it harder to follow her new rules, and her friends have been looped into it. All of them were supposed to be making a new life, and this new job was supposed to be the cherry on top. The boss has a bit of a past, but he's just like them. He just wants a fresh start. So, it was supposed to get better from here. They could have their new beginning, right?NAGA!VINCENT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. NOR DOES THE INTERPRETATION. ALL PERMISSION WAS GIVEN BY BOTH PARTIES.OWNER: Rykitsu on Twitter (https://twitter.com/rykitsu)INTERPRETATION: mythologyvincent on tumblr (https://mythologyvincent.tumblr.com/)ORIGINAL CHARACTERS BELONG TO ME.
Relationships: Alexa/Arthur, Alexa/Vincent





	1. Let the Show Begin

**Author's Note:**

> The stories that I have posted have gotten a bit of attention, so here's the serious one I'm working on as promised. This is categorized in both FNAF and its mytho AU cause it has characters from both universes, and songs used in certain chapters will be linked.

“You ready for tonight?”

“Always. Just make sure that horn of yours workin’ properly.”

“Ha ha ha. So funny. Don’t pull that diva schtick on me Vandus.”

“I’m only teasin’~. C’mon, we gotta get Willy.”

They walked down the hall their friend’s room, knocking on it few times and waiting for an answer. The door opened, revealing a well dressed man on the other side. He walked out and closed the door behind him, “Yes, I’m ready. My sax in the car?”

“Yeah. Just packed it up with my horn.”

“And you have that one part of the song knocked out?”

“Of course~.”

“Alright, let’s roll.”


	2. Eye Catching Opportunity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Potential persons of interest. A chance of a lifetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Peeping Tom by Jamie Berry Ft. Rosie Harte  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGbW44AEHeM

The trio walked through the door, waving and finger-gunning the other people back stage. Alex cuffed her sleeves and cracked her knuckles. “Alright ladies and gentleman! We got 15 minutes till showtime! Misfits, make sure those bow ties are straight, and let’s roll out and start tunin’ up the instruments. Lord knows we don’t need another ‘screeching trumpet’ incident.”

The band members laughed and followed her and Andrew out onto the main floor. The club was lively tonight. People were having a good time, and sharing drinks. Alex smiled and greeted the patrons, new and old. There were a few new faces actually. But they all seemed to be mob bosses, seeing as how people tried not to make eye contact with them. They sat at the tables in the back, specifically reserved for any Don that decided to drop by. She knew it was rude, and probably a death wish, to stare at the men, but seeing as how she could probably guess that her own father was a higher status than them, she stared to her hearts content. If ‘content’ was the word to use. As much as her family’s status helped them, it made her sick to think about that life. The debt, the shoot outs, the greed. Absolutely disgusting. Andrew laid a hand on her shoulder, “Hey, you alright?”

“Huh? Oh...Uh, yeah. Yeah I’m fine.”

“A’ight. C’mon. You were starin’ for so long that you lost 6 minutes of tune-up time. The ‘screeching trumpet’ incident?”

“Yeah yeah yeah, I got it.”

He handed her the trumpet, and walked back over to the rest of the band, with her following behind. “What were ya starin’ at anyways?”

“There are few new Dons in the audience.”

“Ah.”

“Smokin’ their cigars like their hot shit.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout it Al. You’re better than that.”

“Yeah I know. But, on a positive side, we’ve been gettin’ some publicity. This is, what, the fourth weekend in the row that we’ve gotten new Dons in here?”

“Yeah. And I know Robin is probably elated by the newcomers. Probably why he’s a little more on edge ‘bout our performances.”

“Meh, I don’t blame him. Gotta keep things tight to get the money.”

She checked her watch, “We got 2 minutes. Places boys!” They checked each other, Alex and Andrew putting on their vests and making sure they were in uniform as well. Robin peeked out, and gave them a thumbs up. “We ready?” They nodded, Andrew grabbing his saxophone and tossing Alex’s trumpet to her. The lights dimmed, and the band started out with a mellow tune, but it had a bounce to it. The patrons enjoyed it, and some even the Dons were digging the vibe that the band was bringing. Robin watched from back stage, smiling and tapping his foot to the beat of the song.

More people began to pour in. Another Don even decided to drop by. He straightened his bow tie, and the hair band that held up his ponytail. He wasn’t dressed like the typical mob boss. No, he was well dressed, and moved about the club with a sense of purpose. People looked at him and immediately moved away from his path, and covered their eyes. He found a table that was dead center to the stage, giving a perfect view of the band. However, it was taken by another boss. Another table next to it was free, and he began to walk towards it. The boss saw him, and thought he was walking towards the table. He immediately moved to the other table, and his goons quickly followed. He sighed and sat down at the table. He looked around and saw his body guard at the bar. He watched him as he grabbed a drink off of the counter, and make his way towards him. He set the glass down, “Here ya are sir. Tender said it was on the house.” He nodded and took a swig of his drink. He watched Alex and Andrew during their intermission. She played a couple of notes on her trumpet, and Andrew did the same with his saxophone. An interesting duo nonetheless.

A woman sat back stage, putting on her gloves and jewelry. Robin walked up to her with a smile, “3 minutes darlin’. You ready?” She smiled and nodded. “Yep. The band know the first song?”

“Yeah. Peepin’ Tom is a go. Knock’em dead doll.” He chimed as he left.

“Thanks hon.” She said.

The lights dimmed again, and Alex walked on stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so glad that you decided to spend your evenin’ here at Swing! But, I know y’all aren’t here just to hear the band play all night long. No no no...” The audience chuckled, whistled and cheered. Alex smiled, “Yeah keep that up! Cause the main event is finally here! Everyone, and specifically the hot shots in the audience, put your hands together for our amazin’ singer, Alexa!” Men began to hoot and holler, making the ones with woman hit their dates. The curtains opened, but only showed the silhouette of the women on stage. First the lights appeared on the band, with Alex standing on one side of the center stage. When the song reached its peak, the spotlight revealed Alexa, pulling out her ponytail at the que of Andrew and his sax, who laid on the other side of her. The cheering grew louder at the sight of her. The Don sitting at the center table raised a brow, and set down his drink. He watched as she moved her hips to the beat of the song, and how her peers joined in. Alex and Andrew wailing on their horns, and Alexa smiling and enjoying the music. A grin crept across his face.

She started singing again, and teased the men in the audience. In the process of doing so, she made eye contact with the Don at the table. She didn’t he was a Don, but that didn’t stop her from staring. They stared at each other for a minute, their eyes locked. He smirked and gave her a wink. She gushed a light shade of pink, smiled, and winked back at him. He leaned back in his chair, and watched the performance with a curious look in his eye.

“Hmm. Interesting~...”


	3. Proposition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shady people and shady deals don't mix well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Mister Mister by Cissie Redgwick  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWYT6tjvij4

“Mister mister, don’t treat me so unkind...”  
Alexa moved about the stage with grace, the men entranced by her. She made her way off, into the crowd, and continued to sing her song. The Don watched her glide across the floor, drumming her fingers on mens’ shoulders and ruffle their hair. She enjoyed the swooned faces of the men. It meant she was doing a good job. She made her way over to The Don, kneeling down and cupping his chin in her hand as she sang. But his serenade was cut short when she pulled her hand away and waved to him as she walked away. The Don watched her hips sway back and forth so rhythmically. He tapped his guard so he wouldn’t have to look away and he leaned down. “Yes sir?” The Don continued to watch, letting out a quiet, yet dark chuckle as he did. “Do me a favor...”

“A’ight lads and lassies, that ends our beautiful main event for tonight, and we thank you for choosing Swing as your drinking spot, chick-pick-up hangout, and all that good stuff.” The crowd laughed, and the band began to play a slow tune. Alexa walked down the steps waving to the band and her friends as she headed for the front door.

“Miss Vandus! Hold on a sec!”

She stopped and turned her head towards the voice. “Yes?” The man walked up to her and gave her his hand. “Hello Miss Vandus. My, employer, would like to give you something for a beautiful performance tonight.”

“Oh really?” He nodded and handed her a small wad of money. She raised a brow, and her smile disappeared. “...” She took the money, ran her fingers across the edges and pinched the small loop the money made. She then placed the money back into his hand and smiled. “Well, tell your boss that I appreciate the thought, but I won’t accept his money. The look on his face was payment enough~.”

He chuckled, “I’ll be sure to do that. G’night ma’am.” She winked and smiled. “G’night.”

He walked back over to the table and handed his boss the money. The Don looked up at him, “She didn’t take it? Why?”

“Nope. She wanted me to tell you that she wouldn’t accept it, and the expression on your face was payment enough.”

The Don chuckled, taking his money back and stuffing it into his pocket. “She’s an interesting woman isn’t she?”

The guard nodded, “That she is. She immediately knew that you were a mob boss too.” He looked up him and dropped his shot glass. “...I’m sorry what?” The guard looked down at him and chuckled nervously. “I should’ve said that before hand shouldn’t I?”

“Oh you think?! Damn. That could ruin the whole plan. She could know who I am...” He sighed and placed his hands under his chin. “Well, nothing like the present. Or future in this case. You’ll be accompanying me tomorrow night. I have a feeling things are going to get a bit difficult...”

~

“Mwah~! Have a good night everyone!” The audience clapped as Alexa walked off stage. She was about to head for the door until Robin stopped her. “Hold on doll. I need you and the others for a sec.”

“For what?”

“Someone wants to talk to us ‘bout some uh, business.”

“But...you’re the manager? We don’t have a say in anything.”

“True, but you are my employees, and I have to at least have some of you have a say in certain things. This bein’ one of’em. Apparently, he’s been watchin’ us for minute and thought it’d be good to include you three, so go get’em for me and meet me at the center table.”

She nodded and walked up the stairs and slipped behind the curtains. “Guys!” Alex and Andrew looked up from their sheet music. “Robin wants us at that middle table.”

“The one where the bosses sit? Why?”

“Said that someone wanted to talk to us about some business.”

They glanced at each other and walked over to the curtain. Peeking outside, they looked at the table. They could see Robin talking to someone. They looked at the other person and felt a wave of dread wash over them. His face, the way he dressed, and the eyes. His God forsaken eyes. No doubt about it. He noticed that they were staring and glanced at them, causing them to quickly retreat behind the curtain. Alexa looked at them, “Whoa, are you two okay? What’s the problem?” Their eyes were wide, and their hearts pounding. Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her to the curtain. “Look who he’s with!”

She pulled back the curtain and looked at the man. “Him?” She looked up at her, “Yeah he came here last night. He’s an interesting mobster no doubt. Especially with those eyes of his. Never seen someone with silver eyes before.”

Alex sighed, “Okay but do you know who he is?”

“Uh, no, I don’t.”

Her arms dropped, “Seriously...? Nothing? Hold on, maybe going to see him might help you. Let’s go. But, I need you to stay near us...”

“Wait, how? Why?”

She didn’t answer, only motioned Andrew and they dragged her out to the main floor. They arrived at the table, Robin quickly standing up and motioning to them. “Uh, this is Alex Vandem, Andrew Willis, and-“

“Alexa Vandus.” He stood up and took her hand. “It’s a pleasure to formally meet you~.” He kissed the top of her hand, which made her scoff and pull her hand away. “Right. The pleasure’s all mine Don...?” He chuckled, “Yes, I guess I should introduce myself. For now, just call me-“

“Don V...” Alex growled.

He sat back down and raised a brow. “Yes. Hello, Miss Vandem. Tell me, how is Franklin?” She immediately pulled her twin pistols on him, her voice dripping with anger as she yelled, “Keep my father outta your fuckin’ mouth!”

V sat there unamused as men from different parts of the club sprang to their feet, and pull their own fire arms on the trio. The club grew quiet. He took a swig of his drink, “You might want to re-think that decision, Vandem...” Alexa raised her arm to her friend, “Enough. Call’em off.”

“Not until Miss Vandem here puts her guns away.” 

Alexa shot a glare at her friend. She hesitated, but ultimately stashed her pistols back into her pants. Don V signaled to his men, and they lowered their weapons and disappeared back into the crowds of people. After a few minutes, the club started back up. Alexa lowered her arm and placed her hands under her chin. “Now that that’s over, what do you want?”

“Well I’m so glad you asked, Miss Vandus~.” He smirked.

He snapped his fingers, and he was handed a large stack of papers with a pen resting on top. He placed them on the table and pushed them to her. “I want to buy Swing.” The trio’s faces turned sour at the statement, and Robin choked on his drink. “What?!” 

“I’m offering a lot, and I do see a lot of potential in this place and the people running it.”

Robin managed to speak between his harsh coughs, “I-I’m sorry, Don, but Swing is, not for sale.” V nodded, “I had a feeling you’d say that. So, let me tell you my plan for Swing, its patrons, and staff before your decision is final.” The three of them glanced at each other, and then everyone glanced at Robin. He folded his arms and motioned him to continue.

V nodded, “Alright. My casino has a night club. The band and singer are...well, let’s just say they’ve lost their touch. I need something new, a bit of spice added to the place. That’s where you come in. I’ve been sending people here to watch the performances. After the feedback, I decided to come here myself. After last night’s performance, I could tell that you all have something real special.”

He pointed to the trio, “Especially you three. I can feel the love, heart, and soul in your music, and the way you sing. If you sign, you can spread that same feeling with more people than you can even fit in here.”

He could tell this piqued their interest from the small sparkle in their eyes. He continued, “Your band members and staff will receive the same contract, same guidelines, same everything. You all will just be transferred to my casino so that you can reach a bigger audience, and make more money.”

Robin raised a brow, “How much are we talkin’?”

V gave his guard his hand, and he placed a checkbook and a pen in it. He quickly wrote out a check and handed it to Robin. “Does this suite your fancy?” Robin’s eyes grew, and he showed the others. Alexa scoffed, “Is this the same for everyone?”

He nodded, “Absolutely. Same everything, remember? Everyone here is worth that much, plus the possibility of tips.”

“It just seems too good to be true. What the hell do you plan on doing with Swing anyway? Sure there’s gonna be a new band, but what about the customers?” Alex folded her arms.

“I’ve already knocked down the prices to everything at my place. I want people everywhere, no matter where they come from, to experience your music. As for Swing itself, I plan to leave it the way it is. It will become more of haven in case a mobster or two have a falling out with one another, or anything life-threatening happens.” He snapped his fingers, and his guard placed three more pens onto the stack of papers. “I have no ill intentions, and I only want what I demand in the contract. So, will you sign?”

Robin looked over at his companions. Alex looked uneasy at the idea, and Andrew looked just as unsure. The three of them looked down at Alexa, who was practically having a staring contest with Don V. He stared back with a grin, and she narrowed her eyes. They looked back at each with raised brows. The only thing that cause them to look back at her was when she suddenly broke the silent competition. “Group huddle please...”

The four of them left the table and stood in tight circle a few feet from it. Robin pinched the bridge of his nose, “Alright guys, what’re your thoughts? It sounds like a pretty legit deal to me.”

“Of course it does. That’s how men like him work. Makes me sick...”

“That reminds me, Alex, how does he know Frankie...?”

She fell silent. Alexa placed a hand on her shoulder, “Al? What happened? Are you okay?”

“...I don’t want to talk about it...” Her voice was cold.

Andrew sighed, “Look, I know this looks bad, especially taking account of his reputation, but I think this will be beneficial to everyone here. Think about how much better off people will be.”

Alex, still clearly on the fence and irritated about the ordeal, sighed heavily. “As much as I hate to admit it, and I really hate it, I think it would be best to sign. People could create better lives with the money they’ll get...”

Robin nodded, “I have to agree hon. He’s offering a chance of a lifetime...” They looked down at Alexa. She sighed and motioned everyone to follow her back to the table. V was in the middle of talking to his guard, bringing his attention back the group when they sat back down. “Well?”

Alexa grabbed one of the pens and signed the dotted line. “This better be worth it...” The others did the same and gave him back the papers. He handed the pens and paper back to his guard, and pushed himself to his feet. “Well, I’m glad we could all come to an agreement.”

They did the same, and Robin gave him his hand. “Just make sure you keep your promise. Last thing these guys need is someone makin’ shortcuts and people gettin’ randomly fired. Ya know, dictator-boss-type stuff.” He chuckled and shook his hand. “I promise you that nothing like that will happen.” He shook Andrew and Alex’s hands, quickly letting go and shaking out his hands after how hard they squeezed. He then shook Alexa’s hand, “You have my word~...” He grinned, making Alex cough harshly and receiving a glare from Andrew. He noticed this, and rolled his eyes. “Right.”

He let go of her hand and straightened his jacket. “I’ll send some people over to help you all with contracts and moving. I advise talking to everyone tonight, because I need you all moved and set up tomorrow.” He motioned to his guard and started towards the door. “Have a good night~.”


	4. Final Decision...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family sticks together. Even in times of change.

Swing had closed, but everyone stayed after for the announcement. Robin climbed onto the stage and the trio walked out from backstage. They looked amongst the sea of their peers, Robin feeling even more nervous about the new changes being made. Alex placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. He took a deep breathe and nodded. She grabbed her trumpet off of the stage and blew into. It created a harsh note that caught everyone’s attention. She then stepped back and let him take the floor. Robin nodded and grabbed the microphone off its stand. “Alright everyone, I got some news. After I tell you, please, hear me out.” The employees gave each other confused glances, but listened to their boss. Robin looked back at the trio, “Um...” Alex motioned him to go on with the announcement. He turned back to his employees. No, his friends. His family. They needed this. All of them, they’ve been through so much...

“...someone bought Swing today.” He gripped the microphone.

The employees didn’t receive the news too well, and exclaimed angrily as to why this happened. Andrew walked to edge of the stage and whistled. “Hey! Calm down the lot of ya! Please, here us out.”

Alex took a few steps forward, “We know this sounds bad, but this can actually be a good thing for Swing and everyone here. The guy that came in has jobs for all of us, and this could be a good way for people to possibly discover you.”

“And he said there’s no strings attached. Everyone benefits form this.”

“So please, please join us. No matter what, we’re a family, and we wouldn’t have made this decision if it didn’t benefit our family.” Robin pleaded. The employees grew quiet. A lot of them looked amongst themselves, sharing uneasy glances and stares. Everyone’s looks made Robin quite nervous, and at that point he didn’t know what else to say to convince them. A whistle broke the silence, and all the attention was brought to Alexa. She was sitting backwards on a chair when she pulled out a small slip of paper. “Need an extra push?” Everyone looked at each other, then looked back at her and nodded. She motioned the paper towards Robin. He quickly grabbed it and handed it to the closest person near the stage. One by one the paper was passed around, and each employee changed their expression.

“We’re bein’ paid big time. So if you weren’t already sold, since ya know, we’re a goddamn family, and we stick together no matter what, then there’s your push.”

The slip of paper made its way back to Robin, and he handed it back to her. Alexa took it back, stuffing it in her bra and finally standing up. She walked next to Robin and folded her arms. “Well? Are y’all in, or out?”

It grew quiet. Everyone had looked at the slip of paper, and were now having a silent conversation which each other. When it looked like they were done, all eyes were on the four leaders on the stage.

“...alright. We’re in.”


	5. New Surroundings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Same show, but new people. Saying 'break a leg' would be the worst thing to say right now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Music used: Jumpin' Jack by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auEwji8iGYQ  
> Gimmie That Swing by Cissie Redgwick  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyGKWxPGVxM

A truck and a small car parked in front of a large building. This was a new night, and a new start for everyone who worked at Swing. The employees piled out of the truck and started bringing their instruments and other equipment inside. Alex made sure that they were fine before joining Alexa, Andrew, and Robin. The four of them walked through the front doors of the building, and entered the extremely bright casino. There were slot machines, poker tables, and bar stands as far as the eye could see. The four of them took a small stroll through the casino before ending up in the building’s other half: the night club. They looked amongst the sea of people, the glamorous lighting and bar, and the stage. Robin could tell by their faces the trio was excited, and nervous to stand on such a large stage. Alex swallowed the hard lump stuck in her throat, and chuckled nervously. “Whew. Never uh, seen so many people. Gotta admit, I’m gonna shit bricks if anything goes wrong.”

“Don’t worry about that. Security is everywhere, and always on the lookout.” Don V had appeared behind them and placed a hand on her shoulder. Alex shot him a glare, which only made him keep his hand there a tad bit longer before slowly taking it away. He motioned them to follow, “Come on. I’ll show you to the back stage.”

The five of them made their way through a door and up a small flight of steps. Once at the top, they dropped all of their things and walked around the large platform. It was ten times bigger than Swing, had two separate dressing rooms, and the band had plenty of room for their instruments. Alex couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “Daaamn.”

V chuckled to himself, “Knew you’d like it. Now, you all have 20 minutes till showtime.”

“Yeah, about that, is there somethin’ specific ya want us to do? Anythin’, spontaneous, or somethin’ like that?” She asked as she set up her music stand.

“No! Keep everything exactly the same. Remember what I said about you all having something special? The way you do your shows is part of that. Same shtick, different venue, remember?” He looked at his watch and disappeared past the curtains. “15 minutes. Break a leg.”

As soon as he was out of sight Alex made a choking gesture at his exit way. Alexa glared at her, “Knock it off. Ya know, I’d absolutely love to know why you and Andrew despise him so much.”

The two looked at each other, and then back to her. Alexa glared between them, and waved her hand. “Well?” Both band players looked nervous at the sudden interrogation. Suddenly, one of the other band members walked up and placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Hey we’re all tuned up, and we’re ready to roll. Which song are we starting with?”

Her gaze was broken and she cleared her throat. “Right! We’ll let y’all know what it is c’mon Andy!” She quickly turned and walked over to the band, and Andrew quickly followed. Alexa narrowed her eyes at them as they walked away. It wasn’t like them to withhold secrets from her, and why would they keep a secret about someone they clearly dislike? If anything, they would tell her so that they could bring him to some sort of downfall. Many questions buzzed around in her head. She growled at the fact that the cause of some of her friends’ strange behavior was Don V. Who the hell even was he? Why is his reputation so bad that it’s practically unspeakable? As these questions continuously made their rounds in her brain, she had completely forgotten about the show. The sound of Alex introducing the band brought her back to reality, and she quickly slipped into her dressing room before the curtains opened.

The band started strong, a song they knew was a real crowd-pleaser. Robin and V watched from the audience. They could both tell that the patrons were starting to dig the music, but it still only looked like a few people were enjoying it. This worried V, and he was quickly glancing between the band and the crowd. Something felt like it was missing, but what? Robin noticed this and lightly nudged him. “Sir, they didn’t change anything. Just wait. They know what they’re doin’.”

The band had reached the climax of the song. The energy had increase tremendously, and Andrew and Alex were whaling their horns. It was almost like a large gust of wind had blown the audience, and soon everyone was dancing and bobbing their heads to the song. Don V relaxed his posture, and Robin chuckled at his relief. “Told ya. Just gotta give it some time.”

~

Alexa could hear the applause and cheering from outside her door. It gave her a small boost of reassurance about going on. There was a knock at the door. “Come in!” Robin walked inside, and scoffed at the women helping her get ready. “Wow. He’s really pullin’ out all of the stops isn’t he?”

“Heh, that’s a bit of an understatement.” She thanked the ladies and they smiled and exited the room. There was another knock at the door. “Come on in! Not like I go on in five minutes, but you know it’s okay.” Alex and Andrew walked inside, and quickly shut the door behind them. 

“Whew! God damn I thought we were gonna flop out there.” She noticed Alexa and smiled. “Well well well. Don’t you look regal.”

“Thanks Al. Although, I don’t think that’s what I need to be goin’ for when it comes to the songs I’m singing tonight.” She stood up from her chair and showed off her dress. It was long, and a train followed behind her as she walked around the room. “I mean, not that I’m not in love with it, because I am, it just looks like I’m preparing for the Oscars.”

Robin shrugged, “I don’t know. I think it fits ya. Almost like royalty.” She rolled her eyes at his statement. He chuckled and checked his watch. “Oh shit! 30 seconds y’all!” Everyone hurried out of the room and into their places. The curtains opened and Alex stepped out. “Hello hello everyone! Thank you for taking time out your night to come here to witness our performance and services! If ya don’t already know me cause of bullshit my family either started or was involved in, I’m Alex Vandem. Me, my band, and several others came here to start somethin’ new. Reach some new people to show’em what we’ve got, and Andrew, that was the guy on the sax, and I were only just the beginning.”

Alexa was on the other side fixing her gloves and listening to the dramatized introduction her friend was giving her. “Ladies, gents, especially the gents, we have a real treat for you tonight. The prized jewel of our show. She’s glamorous, charming, and eye-catching. And I mean, really, eye-catching. Now, without further ado, I proudly and graciously introduce our fabulous, Alexa Vandus!” She quickly disappeared behind the curtain and stood in her place with her trumpet in hand. However, she had no idea what the song was, and neither did the band. A minute went by before someone in the started playing the beginning notes of one song. It was something light for now until the end of the show. Alexa had immediately recognized the first few notes and started singing. The curtains slowly opened, revealing the stage and the lights slowly growing on the trio. V’s smile grew when she sang. Her voice was lovely. Almost hypnotizing, and the audience agreed with him. Everyone was enjoying her show, and the men were giving out the occasional ‘wolf whistle’.

However, one man just watched intently in the back. He stroked the soul patch on his chin as he watched Alexa sing. His eyes were completely fixated on her, and they never left. His eyes narrowed at her, and he clenched his glass. The thoughts that were running through his mind were many, and if they were to be said aloud, one would be extremely concerned. He traced his finger along the rim of the glass, and watched the rest of her performance with malicious and horrid thoughts. Don V had noticed his expressions, and grew suspicious of the man. He continued to watch Alexa’s performance, but kept a close eye on the man in the back.


	6. Possible Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh no...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song used: Plume by Caravan Palace  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq3fwlZdWhw

The show was coming to a close, but Alexa and the band were on break before the finale. Don V slipped backstage and walked up to Alex and Andrew. “Hey you two. Look, I know you despise me, and you have every right to, but I need you to hear me out for second.” They looked at each other, then back to V. They didn’t speak, but they did raise a brow at him. It was strange, but he took that as a way of them letting him know they were listening. 

“Alright. Don’t get mad, because you really can’t, but I did a background check on all of you. Mainly you two, Alexa, and Robin.”

Alex almost lunged at him, but he quickly moved to the side before she did anything. “I’m sorry, but it’s part of my job! I did this before hiring you. Did you think I was just going to hire you without knowing a little information? Especially since two of you are the daughters of mob bosses?” She was genuinely going to try and argue with him, but she knew she couldn’t. Everything he did was in valid reason. Hell Robin did the same thing, and any other employer would do the same just in case anyone committed a crime or something. She huffed and motioned him to go on.

“Now, I didn’t tell you that I had refused to talk about either of your past dealing with your families, and that’s because I thought it was better to just not speak of it. But, it seems that there might be problem.” He motioned them to follow. They slipped onto the main floor from the side of the stage. V had made sure that they were in a large crowd of people, and that the suspicious man was in their line of sight. His voice was low, “Him. Right over there.”

They looked over. Alex could feel her heart drop at the sight of him. His slicked back hair, the devilish soul patch, and the dead look in his eyes. Alex quickly grabbed their arms and pulled them back to the stage. She made sure they were hidden behind the curtain before sitting on one of the instrument cases and running her fingers through her hair. “God damn it...of all the people to be here, it had to be fucking him...”

Andrew was thoroughly confused by their distress over this one man. “Who is he? I mean, I know he’s a mob boss, but what does he have to do with you and Alexa?”

She sighed, “Arthur. Him and his family don’t really have any beef with me, but since Alexa told us about him, and confided in my family about him, he’s on our radar. Just in case he tries anything since we know Alexa and her family.”

Andrew turned to Don V, “Alright, so he’s obviously bad news. I only know so much about him because Alexa only wanted to tell me so much. What do you want us to do?”

“Hell I know I don’t like ya boss, but I will gladly have him removed for ya.” Alex chuckled. V shook his head, “I appreciate that, but he hasn’t actively tried anything, so for right now all we can do is keep an eye on him at all times. I looked into him and his family, and truthfully, if I was dead, he would be known as the worst boss there is.” 

“Well that’s one thing we can agree on. He’s getting pretty damn close to being as bad as you as it is.” She took a quick glance at her watch and let out a heavy sigh. “We’re about to go on for the last song. What about Alexa? Does she know about this?”

“No. I’m going to tell her right after the song. Since you two will be here a little bit after she leaves, I will have some people escort her home. Just in case.” She nodded, and V left them to get ready. As he walked to the bar, he kept a close eye on Arthur. He still wasn’t showing any signs that he was going to hurt anyone, but one could never be too sure.

The lights began to dim, and the audience grew quiet once they heard the music start. Don V brought his attention to the stage as well, but still watched Arthur occasionally. He noticed that his expression changed when the music started, and was staring daggers at Andrew and Alex. That alone was concerning.

Alexa had stepped onto the stage and began singing. The usual hooting and hollering erupted at the sight of her outfit. It resembled a peacock, only without the magnificent tail. As her arms rose and fell with such grace, attached to her gloves and dress were peacock feathers. They glistened in the light, along with the rest of the dress, and showed off the many sparkles that laid upon the dress. As spectacular and...distracting Alexa was, V still kept his attention on her alluring tones, and Arthur’s constant devilish stare. The performance was being well received, and it was getting better by the minute. Alex and Andrew were enjoying the performance, but they couldn’t help but have the occasional stare down with Arthur since he started it first.

They were nearing the end of the song, so it was time to go out with a bang. Alexa grabbed the bottom of her dress, and ripped it away to reveal a shorter dress, and the missing tail had made its appearance. The audience’s applause and shouting grew dramatically. She swayed with the beat of the music, which had most of the men under a trance. Even Arthur caught himself staring with extreme interest, and almost lustful eyes. Don V had also caught himself, but quickly shook himself out of it and brought his focus back to Arthur.

The song had ended and the band had dispersed to clear out their setup. V was instantly on the move to find Alexa. He checked her dressing room, but she wasn’t there. How the hell does someone get changed that fast? He looked around and found Robin. He quickly walked up to him, “Robin, have you seen Alexa? I need to speak with her.”

“I think she just left not even two minutes ago. Why?”

Shit. He didn’t respond, and peeked out from behind the curtains. Arthur was gone. Quickly after he noticed his absence, he could hear gunshots and screaming from outside of the backstage door. Robin had heard it too. They looked over and saw Alex and Andrew running towards the door. They quickly followed behind them, V loading his own gun just in case anything else were to happen.


	7. SPP (Singer Protection Program)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stress, threats, and dads.

Guns were high and ready to fire. A man laid on the ground gripping his foot, and wincing in pain. Alexa stood over him, her chest heaving and still holding the pistol she shot him with. V looked over at Alex, “Make sure she’s okay. I’m going to look around to see if anyone else is out here.” She nodded and stashed her pistols. Andrew followed and took the gun out of her hands. “Hey, are you alright?”

“Yeah...yeah I’m fine. I’m okay.” The man on the ground grunted as he tried to lift himself off of the ground. Alex whipped her pistols out and pressed them against his forehead. “One more move and I will not hesitate to blow your fucking brains sky high...”

Don V had walked down the alleyway and onto the sidewalk. He had checked every nook and cranny, and to his surprise no one else was around. Suddenly, the sound of tires screeching erupted in the night. A car sped down the street, and he quickly hid back in the alley once he caught sight of a gun hanging out the window. He peered around the corner, aimed for the tires, and took the shot. The bullet only pierced the ground inches away from it. He cursed to himself and walked back to the group. Robin looked over, “What the hell was that?”

“I assume Arthur because of how quickly the car left.” Alexa’s heart dropped. She knew the man on the ground looked eerily familiar. She ripped the gun from Andrew’s hand and aimed it at Don V. Robin looked between Andrew and V, and slowly approached her. “Alexa, darlin’, think about what you’re doin’ right now.”

She ignored him, and cocked the pistol. Alex looked over her shoulder, and her eyes widened. “Lexie, I know this is the last thing you wanna hear, and I know you told me to never say this to you, but you need to calm down. Chill for sec.” Alexa took a deep breath, but kept the gun pointed at V. She stepped closer, and placed the gun at his head. “How, in the absolute fuck, did he find me...? How do you know him...? And do not lie. Because I’m not afraid to put one of these bullets through your skull...”

V was a bit shocked by this sudden attack. Especially towards him. He had never encountered Arthur in his life. But he was more so nervous than shocked at the moment. “I don’t know how he found you, and I only know about his reputation, and his past regarding you. My guess is that he probably ended up coming the last two nights by choice coincidentally, someone tipped him on your whereabouts, or he’s even a common patron to the club.”

“And how come I had to know about this when that asshole sent someone after me, instead of earlier?”

“He was going to tell you, but he couldn’t find you.” Alexa looked back at Alex, and she continued. “Yeah, I know. Look, I hate everything that that fucker stands for, but since he gave me and Andy the tip about Arthur, I’m tryin’ to give him the tiniest benefit of the doubt. I saw him lookin’ for you. He said that he would tell you about it right after the show, and have someone escort you home.”

She looked over at Andrew, and he quickly nodded. She stared daggers at V before pulling the gun away and shooting a garbage bag against the wall. “I’m gonna take your word for it. And...thank you. For at least attempting to try and warn me.” He nodded and the two walked over to Alex and the man on the ground. Robin and Andrew followed, and they all watched him slowly bleed out from his foot. Alex nodded towards Alexa, “A’ight, what should we do with this dickhead?”

“I’m always open for suggestions.”

“Well, what did he try to do anyway?”

“He tried to kidnap me and shoot me.”

“Well in that case I suggest that I blow his fucking brains out.” She chuckled. Alexa gave her a look. She understood what it meant and groaned. “Fine. You’re right. You boys have any ideas?”

V chimed in, “...well, remember that I did point out that the two of you are daughters of crime bosses. How do they operate now?”

“Frankie is still in the business, but he ain’t killin’ people left and right anymore. Only when it threatens the family.”

V looked over at Alexa. She sighed, “My father is the same way. Why?” Alex was puzzled by this as well. But after thinking it over, it made her chuckle. “A’ight. I know where he’s gettin’ at. And I hate to admit it but it’s not a bad plan.”

Alexa raised a brow, “What’s he talkin’ abou-” She stopped. Oh shit. She promised herself that she wouldn’t do something like that. But, she felt...in the moment. Something had clearly reignited. The power. The control. The ease of snapping her fingers and something would get done. A smirk crept across her face, and the same happened to Alex. V noticed this, and for the first time, in a long time, he was somewhat afraid. The expressions on their faces were extremely unsettling, and quite devilish. The way they bared their teeth at the man who cowered before them. Their behavior brought many questions about what exactly they did while in the business.

The girls pulled out their phones, and dialed.

“Hi daddy.”

“Hello dad.”

V watched their conversations. He mainly watched Alexa speak to her father. She had changed completely. He knew about her past, he of course just never saw it in action. She had a ‘princess complex’. She spoke to her father as if everything she said had to be done exactly the way she commanded, and her father complied. He didn’t make things better. He could tell how protective Ricky was, and knew that if she called him because of a threat, he would let her have complete control of her attacker’s fate.

“Where are you right now? Frankie and I are own our way.”

“The Treasury Casino. Don V’s place. If you know him that is.”

There was a moment of silence. V knew that that wasn’t a good sign. A very loud and thick accented voice erupted from Alex’s phone. “I’m sorry what?! Is he there?! Did he hurt either of you?! Ally you know I’m not afraid to-”

“Dad, we’re fine. Please when you get here, don’t point a gun at him. I’ll explain everything.”

There was another moment of silence. Ricky sighed, “Alright. Frankie, whiskey or rum?”

“Surprise me. No doubt that the girls will let us do anything to him, so it’s gonna be long night for the both us.” After a few minutes of planning, they exchanged their farewells and hung up. The girls took a deep breath, and shook out their bodies. They looked at the boys, “Sorry you had to see that.”

~

Their fathers arrived only minutes later, and walked up to their respective daughters. The man looked at them all together. He was absolutely petrified. He was informed of the status of every single person in front of him, and they could tell by his face that he knew he was either going to be severely injured or killed. The man, clearly knowing that his life was at stake, tried to scramble away from them. Alex didn’t hesitate to put a bullet in his other foot, and Frankie stomped on his now bleeding foot. “Oh no no no. You, dear sir, have clearly lost your mind if you think you can just leave scott-free.”

V tapped his shoulder, “May I?” He motioned to his foot. Frankie removed his foot, and V grabbed the man’s shirt. He pulled him to his injured feet, and slammed him against the wall. “Before these nice gentlemen take you away, tell us this, what the hell is Arthur planning?” The man didn’t respond. He knew he was playing with fire by not answering, but a worse scenario could take place if he did answer. V was already irritated the recent events, so his resistance only made him angry. He grabbed his throat, and let a very unsettling and demon-like smirk spread across his face. “You know that I could just as easily tag along with these men, and think of far worse things for what you’ve done tonight. Especially, on the grounds of my establishment. So, if you don’t want me to crush you like the miserable insect that you are, answer my question.”

He still didn’t respond. He could see the infamous Don V in that smirk, and knew that these were his last moments. Might as well die than give him what he wanted. Don V looked over at Frankie and Ricky, “May I come with you to decide his fate?” They looked between each other. The smirk was still plastered in his face, and it wasn’t helping his case. Neither of them liked him, but because the safety of Alexa was threatened, they put their feelings aside for the moment. Ricky raised a brow, “Why leave? I know what my daughter has said, but I think we can stay right here. Do you have a gun?” He nodded, and Frankie could see where it was going. The three men pulled their guns and shot the man in their decided spots. Frankie’s shot landed in a crucial part of his chest, but it didn’t kill him. Only had him in extreme pain. Ricky’s shot was somewhere a little more...personal. He wasn’t going to need it anymore. V’s shot was placed right between his eyes, finally putting him out of his misery. Alexa had quickly walked back inside before seeing the brutal finale of the man’s life. She frankly didn’t want to see, but Alex stayed. There were some things to discuss, and plus it was sort of her idea in the first place, so she wanted to see it play out. Frankie, Ricky, and Alex stood before V with their arms crossed. Ricky stared daggers at him as he spoke, “You seemed very keen on getting justice for my daughter. Why the sudden interest? Do you have something to gain from her?”

Don V was a bit shocked by the accusation, but should he be? No, not really. “I’m sorry you think I have something to gain from Alexa, but to tell you the truth I don’t. As much as Alex would hate it, I would do the same thing if it was her. He threatened one of my employees. That wasn’t going to go unanswered.” He sighed. They looked at Alex, and she sighed. “I hate to admit it, but I believe him. I’m trying to give him a tiny, tiny chance. But if I’m going to do that, this side of you needs to keep up. Because right now, we have a real problem.”

Ricky nodded, “Absolutely. My pup has a lot of people willing to risk anything for her, and if you’re willing to kill someone for her, you need to continue to somewhat show that. She’s my only child. So, you’re officially on full watch by me, Frankie, and probably the others since they don’t fully trust you. Keep her safe, and protected.” Ricky stepped closer to Don V, “And if I hear anything like this happening again, and it was under your protection, I will not hesitate to do the same thing you did to this man. Got it?”

V was a tiny bit nervous by the threat, but nodded. Ricky returned the nod and gestured Frankie to follow him. Frankie said his goodbyes, and left, leaving Alex and V. V sighed heavily and ran his fingers through his hair. Alex placed a hand on his shoulder, “Welcome to the club. We’re kinda like the Witness Protection Program with each other. Mostly Lexie. So, keep on your P’s and Q’s.” She gave him a few pats before she walked back inside. V looked at the corpse against the wall. This man...no. This absolute worm, was willing to die to keep his boss safe. What the hell is his motive? Why does he need Alexa? How frequently is this going to happen? So many questions were bouncing in his head, and it was starting to give him a headache. He had to think on this, but not right now. He was exhausted. He walked up the steps, and back inside.


	8. Fatal Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New night. New events.

Alexa entered the casino with an entourage. Besides The protection of Alex and Andrew, a few men were surrounding her as she made her way to backstage. She knew that extra precautions needed to be taken, but this was a bit ridiculous. Her father did have the tendency to overreact. Once backstage, she moved towards her dressing room. “Okay boys. You can move now. Just guard the room and keep a post somewhere on the main floor.”

“But your father said to guard you at all times.”

“Well, I’m saying that you don’t have to do that. Not while I’m working at least. Just, keep a look out, okay?” They looked at each other, and then dispersed. She entered the dressing room, and Alex and Andrew followed. Once inside she was greeted by Don V and Robin. Robin looked worried and a bit distressed while V looked more serious than ever. She set her stuff down and raised a brow. “What’s going on?”

“We need to talk about last night.” V stepped out of the way of her chair to let her sit down. Alex locked the door just in case anyone decided to try and drop by. “Great. Cause we need to take some kind of action. I’m not trying to be caught up in some kind of war between families, and not to speak for ya but I don’t think Lexie does either.”

Alexa nodded. V sighed heavily, “Yes, I know. That’s why I have upped the security, and made sure that all exits were guarded.”

“And what about Arthur?” Andrew folded his arms.

“I will confront him. You all just focus on the show, and I will have a few words for him.” V exited the room. Alex couldn’t help but run her fingers through her hair and stomp at the ground. “God...son of a bitch! This is gonna turn for the fuckin’ worse. I can feel it. V needs to kick that asshole out of the fucking club! If he just gives him a stupid-ass threat, then Arthur is just going to take it lightly, and come up with some other shit to fuck us over!”

Alexa motioned to her, “Calm down Al. With whatever rep V has, I don’t think he’s gonna let him just continue to come here. Arthur is obviously a danger to us, and probably everyone else here. We don’t know what his plan is, but whatever it is has to do with me, and he’s not going to stop. Even if he does ban him from the club. Arthur is ruthless.”

Robin pinched the bridge of his nose, “Oy. Alright, well, right now we’re just gonna have to be light on our toes. For now, let’s let V handle it.”

Alex glanced at her watch, “Yeah. C’mon Andy. We go on in three.” She and Andrew left to get ready for the show. Robin walked over to Alexa and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You gonna be alright hon?” She sighed and nodded. He gave her a few pats and exited the room. She rubbed her face, and stared at herself in the mirror. So much for trying to move on, but what did she expect as an ex-mob member? Life was always going to find her no matter where she went, but she was hoping it would never involve Arthur. She stood up, and lifted her shirt slightly, revealing a scar on her stomach. She gently ran her fingers against it, and felt so many forgotten memories reappear in her mind. She pulled her shirt back down, and sat back down in the chair. She took a deep breath, and kept her face in her hands. Everything was starting to spiral, but she needed to breath. Calm down. “Relax...”

~

The beginning of the show had gone smoothly. Everyone involved had been watching Arthur who resided in the back of the club. Even Alex and Andrew occasionally and knowing full well that V wanted them to keep most of their focus on the show. Now it was time for Alexa to go on. Don V watched her start her song, and looked over at Arthur. His expression was unreadable this time, but that didn’t matter. He knew that it was a mixture of horrible emotions that only a sick man like him could feel. V made his way over to his table, and placed a hand on his shoulder once next to him. Arthur looked up at him, and V put on his best fake smile. “I couldn’t help but notice you from over there. Enjoying the show?”

“Yes, I am. Very much so...” His voice trailed off as he brought his attention back to Alexa. He narrowed his eyes and V could see him biting his lower lip. That alone made him sick to his stomach, but he had to push through. He gestured to a chair next to him, “May I join you? Maybe get you a drink?” Arthur looked at him for a moment. After looking him over, he motioned to the chair. “Go right ahead.”

V sat down and watched Alexa’s performance. At rare moments he would glance at Arthur. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her, and the way he stared was absolutely disgusting. V chuckled, and that caught Arthur’s attention. “Hmm? What’s so funny?”

“Why, you, of course. You’re staring at my singer pretty hard there.”

“Hmm, yes. You see, I used to date her. We were actually supposed to get married.”

“Oh really?” V pretended to be shocked at the information. “Lucky man. What happened and why the split? She cheat on you?”

“Oh no. She couldn’t really keep up with my lifestyle, so I had to let her go.”

“Hmm. Strange...” V brought his attention back to the show. “Not the way I heard it went down.” He could see Arthur turn to him and chuckle. “Excuse me?”

V motioned one of the waiters to bring him a drink, and chuckled darkly. “Oh, you heard me. Let’s go down memory lane for a bit, shall we? And please correct me if I’m wrong.” He took a sip of the drink and continued. “Alexa’s past is rough, that much I know, but it got worse when you were brought into the picture. I know that her reputation was one to fear if mentioned, but you made her somewhat soft when you two first got together. Am I right so far?”

Arthur’s face quickly turned into a scowl, and V could see him reaching for something. He snapped his fingers, and the waiter, and the men around him pulled guns on him. He motioned the waiter to Arthur, and he placed the gun to his back. “Not the wisest decision Bushell. Now, where was I? Oh yes! The beginning of your relationship. Somehow, you were able to get Alexa to see how horrible being in the mob really was, and you two were set on leaving and starting a better life. Weeks later, your father dies. You take control of the business with your new fiancé. Things start to change for the better: you’re set to get married and both of you use your status as a way to keep others in check. But the job doesn’t come without its prices. As three, four, maybe five years go by, you quickly and surely begin to lose your sense of humanity. Soon, you’re out of control. You’re slaughtering anyone who gets in your way. Killing and tearing apart families. Alexa didn’t like this dramatic change. She called off the wedding, and the relationship entirely, leaving you to rot by yourself. But, you didn’t want her to leave, so you tried to make her stay. It only worked for about a month or two, until she found an opening and escaped. And I’m guessing her father got a hold of you and gave you a reason to get that neat little prosthetic you have now.”

Arthur was completely silent.

“I of course have my connections for these things~.” V placed his glass down and brought his full attention to Arthur. V stared daggers at him, but he seemed unfazed by the silent threat of his expression. So he continued, “I want you to listen to me very carefully. If you ever so much as think of hurting my employees, or anyone else here, I swear to you that you’ll meet a fate worse than death.” The man across from him stayed quiet for a moment. But to his surprise, when he did respond to his threat, he was laughing. It wasn’t loud enough for others to hear, but he could clearly tell that he was having a ball. V snapped his fingers once more and Arthur could hear the click of the gun. But that clearly didn’t faze him. He chuckled darkly. “Oh, now that’s funny. Don, forgive me for laughing, but you can’t do shit to me.”

“Oh yeah? What makes you so sure that I can’t...?” V reached across the table and grabbed the collar of his shirt. Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle more at his attempt at scaring him, “Let’s see, shall we? The fact that no one has heard of you causing any extreme crimes lately, people aren’t as afraid of you anymore, or maybe the fact that you’re trying to pull this “change” bullshit?”

“Get to the point, bug...”

Arthur grabbed V’s glass, and took a sip from it. “My point is that you’re old news. Washed up. You’ve gone soft. How many ways do you want me to say that you’ve become weak? You don’t have the balls to try anything since you know it could fuck up your reputation even more than it already is. So, here’s what’s gonna happen: if I have eyes set on something, I will stop at nothing to get what I want. And my ex, your singer, just so happened to be apart of something that I want. So, make all the threats you want, but it’s not going to make me back off.”

It was quiet between the two. Cold stare met the eyes of smug ignorance. The performance had ended. V snapped his fingers and the man behind Arthur grabbed his arms. He yanked him out of his seat, and V stood up. "Let's take this outside, shall we~?"

~

V's men took Arthur out back and threw him against the wall. He didn't try to get up, and V liked it that way. He stood over him, silent, and hand firmly grasping the handle of his gun. As soon as he applied pressure to the trigger, another gun shot intercepted his own. He felt a sharp pain in his shoulder, and his own bullet missed its initial target. It instead hit Arthur’s foot, but he managed to crawl away to his body guards that were not far from the scene. A man lunged at V, but even with his now wounded shoulder he fought him off.

He propped himself against the wall. His chest was heaving and he was holding his wound with the jacket of the man he just silenced. Arthur had been helped to his feet, and given a gun. Unfortunately, V had noticed at the last second.

Alex had noticed the way they left, and kept an ear out after the song. She headed back stage to meet with Robin when she heard the gunshots. She broke into a sprint after Robin ran towards the backstage exit. It was too late. As soon as they could see, they witnessed V get shot in his stomach. He fell to the ground. The four stood there in shock. Alexa's breath hitched when she saw his attacker. Alex saw him and immediately pulled her guns on him. However, Arthur snapped his fingers and in an instant his body guards were shooting at them. They ducked and ran back in the building. Alex quickly peeked out the door and shot both of them with ease. But a couple bullets did graze her arm, and one got lodged into her arm. The body guards fell, and a car pulled up to the entrance to the alley. Arthur ran down the alley and quickly entered the car. Alex tried to shoot after him, but with her bleeding arm she couldn’t keep a steady shot. Alexa ran to V's body. He was barely breathing and bleeding out. "Someone rip something off of those corpses! Hurry!"

V's vision was becoming blurry. He could see Alexa's worried face, but he started hearing ringing. Everything was going in and out.

"V...with me...okay...hospital...and hurry!"


	9. Breaks & Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time heals all wounds. And forms all great plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say to the 19 people reading this, at least that's what I've gathered how it works, thank you! I'm glad you like this story!

V shot up. The pain from his wound shot through his body and it caused him to ease himself back down on the...bed? He looked at his surroundings. It looked like he was in a hospital room. As he scanned the room more his eyes fell upon the person sleeping next to his bed. Alex rested in a chair at his bedside, slouched and snoring quietly. He admitted to himself that he hoped it was Alexa. Just a tiny bit. But, it was better than no one. A nurse walked inside. Upon walking in, Alex woke up. She looked at the nurse, then to V. She sat up and stretched, “Glad to see you’re not dead.”

“I’m glad as well. You lost a lot of blood, and if you were in that alley longer you would have been dead.” The nurse stated. V was thankful that he was alive, and that someone was here to see him wake up. But, the fact that they brought him to a public hospital was his main concern at the moment. Forget the pain, forget the cause of the pain, forget everything. If he did not get out of this hospital now, someone was going to find out who he was, and things could get even worse from there. “Don V, are you listening?”

He snapped out of his thoughts and brought his attention back to the nurse. “Hmm? What was that?”

“I was saying you’ll have to stay here for a couple of weeks in order to regain the blood that you lost. You’ll need some stitches for that wound too, and once you leave you’ll need to clean them everyday for a month, at least.” She explained as she looked through her clipboard.

He nodded, “Okay. But, is there a way I can leave sooner? Maybe in a week and half? Or a week?”

The nurse raised a brow, “Um, no? Physically, that’s not possible for you. Why did you think you could leave early?”

“Well I do have things to do, and I have a casino to run. I want to make sure that things run smoothly and...” he fell silent. He didn’t want to outright say anything about the position he is in, but Alex could tell by the look in his eyes why he was so adamant on leaving. She turned to the nurse, “Could ya give us a sec Juliette?”

She nodded and walked out of the room. V looked at her with a raised brow, “Juliette? Why do you know her name?”

“One: her nametag. Two: she’s my family’s nurse. This is a public hospital, but a lot of nurses work with mob families. Mine and Alexa’s included. So we made sure to get you to one of our nurses, rather than a random one that could get you arrested. You’re good, don’t worry.” He felt a wave of relief wash over him and he relaxed into the bed. He noticed the bandage around her arm. “How bad is it?”

“What? This?” She looked at her bandage and chuckled. “Nothing that I haven’t felt before. I promise you, I’ve had worse.” The door opened and Alexa walked inside with Andrew following behind her. She smiled at Alex, “Thanks for watching him.” She nodded and smiled back. Alexa knelt down next to his bed and held his hand. She hated to see anyone hurt, but knew it came with the job. She let out a soft huff and looked up at him with a raised brow and grinned. “Been awhile since you’ve gotten shot?”

“Yeah. I would have liked to go longer without remembering the feeling. How is ‘the trove’?”

"Robin has things handled and the band is entertaining the masses pretty well.” Andrew chimed in. That’s another thing he didn’t have to worry about. He carefully pushed himself up and propped his back against the pillow. Andrew pulled up two chairs for himself and Alexa. She sat down and let out an exhausted sigh. “Alright, you’re not dead. I’m glad, but we need to seriously talk about Arthur. If he already has people on the hunt, then who knows what the hell else he’s going to pull.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed when she glared at him, “What did you even say to him?”

“I exposed his ass for the creep he is, and told him that if he thinks about pulling a stunt like that again that he would face consequences worse than death. Apparently, that didn’t affect him and he called my bluff.”

“Typical. He’s fucking insane...” Alexa scoffed.

“I had him taken outside, and I was moments away from killing the bastard until one of his maggots shot me...” he half growled. “As soon as I was pulling the damn trigger...”

Alex sighed and shrugged. “At least you were willing to end it right then and there. Hell that’s all I could ask for really.” she chuckled. She rubbed her head and groaned. “But in all seriousness, there’s gotta be a reason for goin’ after Alexa, besides whatever sick thoughts he’s got goin’ on.”

“You saw one of his men the other night. They’d rather die than tell us anything. Getting that sort of information is going to be difficult considering that type of reputation.” He scoffed. “He might just be worse than me...” Silence consumed the room. It seemed when someone had an idea, they immediately shot themselves down and resumed their thinking. After a few more minutes of silence, a voice broke the air. “We find another source.” They turned to Alexa and she continued. “When Arthur and I were together, we had connections to the same people his father had before he died. Arthur managed to increase that number as well. It’s a bit of a task, but I’m sure we can find a lead from at least one of them.”

Andrew raised a brow, “What makes you think they’ll tell us anything? If his own goons are scared enough to die for him, wouldn’t rumors like that spread and freak out other mobsters?”

“Not necessarily. I’m pretty sure that they still don’t see him as a huge threat, but are keeping a close eye and keeping ties with him just in case. Whether it’s to benefit from it or not is beyond me, but it’s a good start.”

“Besides if they decide to keep quiet, we always have the choice to help’em remember how much of a threat we can be if we have to.” Alex added. As V was listening to the plan, he was hatching his own plan in his mind. In case things turn for the worse. He was hoping it wouldn’t have to come to it, but it was to keep these people safe. Even if he had just met them, they didn’t deserve to have to go through the stress of the situation they were in now. “V!” His trance was broken by Andrew. “Hmm? Sorry, right. About these connections, do you think you can come up with a list of people we can visit? Most reliable to least?”

Alex had noticed that this was the second time that he wasn’t paying attention, but decided against saying something about it. Alexa responded to his question, “I can try, but it’s gonna take some time. There are a lot of mobsters to go through.”

“That’s fine. I’ll make sure to tell Robin what’s happening so that I can keep the crowds at the club happy, while you all take a two week vacation. Paid, of course. Dig up everyone you can find while I recover.” They nodded. Nurse Juliette entered the room once more and placed a tray of food in V’s lap. “Alright guys, gotta give the Don his rest. He’s got a lot of it to do. Plus a couple blood transfusions so he’s really gotta sleep for that.” Alex couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on V’s face when she mentioned the procedure. “What’s the matter Don? Don’t like blood?”

“No, I can’t do needles. I hate needles. I despise them. If you think you’re putting one inside me, I will make sure I leave and never come back.”

“Well I mean I figured you wouldn’t come back, cause you’d probably be fuckin’ dead, Don. So ya got no choice. But, since you’re freaking out so much about it, I’ll make sure asleep for it.” His heart was put at ease a little and he nodded. Alex left the room chuckling with Andrew following and snickering to himself. V’s eyes narrowed at them as thy left, “Children...” He looked over at Alexa when she caressed his hand with her thumb. “You’ll be okay. Plus this way you might get out sooner and help us out.” He smiled and nodded. “Yes, of course. You’re right.” She gifted him a warm smile in return and hurried out the door to catch up with her friends to get started.


End file.
